A Little Meditation Goes a Long WayBy Jason Marsh | February 9, 2011 | A new study offers the strongest evidence to date that meditation can change the structure of your brain.I consider myself something of a prospective meditator—meaning that a serious meditation practice is always something I’m about to start… next week.So for years, I’ve been making a mental note of new studies showing that meditation can literally change our brain structure in ways that might boost concentration, memory, and positive emotions. Jacob Wackerhausen The results seem enticing enough to make anyone drop into the full lotus position—until you read the fine print: Much of this research involves people who have meditated for thousands of hours over many years; some of it zeroes in on Olympic-level meditators who have clocked 10,000 hours or more. Pretty daunting. Well, a new study offers some hope—and makes the benefits of meditation seem within reach even for a novice like me.The study, published last month in the journal Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, suggests that meditating for just 30 minutes a day for eight weeks can increase the density of gray matter in brain regions associated with memory, stress, and empathy.The researchers tracked 16 people who were participating in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, the training program developed more than 30 years ago by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Over eight weekly meetings, the program leads participants through meditation exercises meant to build the skills of mindfulness—a moment-by-moment awareness of one’s thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. Participants are supposed to try these practices on their own between classes.For decades, people who’ve completed the MBSR training have reported feeling less stress and more positive emotions; participants suffering from chronic illnesses say they experience less pain afterward.But in this study, the researchers weren’t just asking the participants how they felt. They were examining their brains, two weeks before and right after the eight-week program. Over the same period, they also scanned the brains of people who didn’t receive the MBSR training.The MBSR participants, none of whom were experienced meditators, reported spending just under half an hour per day on their meditation “homework.” Yet when their brains were scanned at the end of the program, their gray matter was significantly thicker in several regions than it was before.Brain scans of the hippocampus, showing the regions the researchers determined were affected by meditation.Image adapted from B. Hölzel, et al., Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging Vol. 191 (1), January 30, 2011, pp. 36-43. One of those regions was the hippocampus, which prior research has found to be involved in learning, memory, and the regulation of our emotions. The gray matter of the hippocampus is often reduced in people who suffer from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).The researchers also found denser gray matter in the temporo-perietal junction and the posterior cingulated cortex of the meditators’ brains—regions involved in empathy and taking the perspective of someone else—and in the cerebellum, which has been linked to emotion regulation.These brain changes may suggest that meditation improves people’s ability to regulate their emotions, control their stress levels, and feel empathy for others, says Britta Hölzel, the study’s lead author and a research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Geissen in Germany. However, she stresses that these conclusions are still very speculative.The group that didn’t receive the MBSR training didn’t show any of these positive changes in brain structure.Previous research has shown that the structure of very experienced meditators’ brains is different from non-meditators in certain regions, but it couldn’t prove that the meditators didn’t have exceptional brains to begin with. This is the first study to document a difference in brain structure from before someone starts a meditation practice to after they’ve gotten underway—and after only eight weeks, at that.While other research, notably a 2003 study led by Richard Davidson of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, has shown that people’s brain activity changes after the eight-week MBSR course, there hadn’t been evidence that the effects of meditation can go so deep as to change the structure of the brain. The results of this new study offer further evidence for the “plasticity” of the brain, meaning it can change its shape over time. That suggests we’re not simply stuck with the neural cards we’re dealt; we can fundamentally improve our cognitive and emotional capacities. “I think what’s really positive and promising about this study is that it suggests our well-being is in our hands,” says Hölzel. “What I find fascinating is that just paying attention in a different way and being more aware can have such an impact that it even changes the structure of our brain.”It’s important to note that meditation isn’t the only research-tested way to produce these changes in the brain. A study published last week, in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that the hippocampus of people in their 60s increased in volume after they’d walked around a track three times per week for a year; in peers who did less aerobic exercises, the hippocampus actually got smaller.The upshot of all this research seems to be: Small steps matter. Many of us can bring about positive effects on our brains and overall well-being—without an Olympic effort. It’s enough to turn a prospective meditator like me into an actual one.

Ever feel the urge to walk barefoot on the beach or feel the grass between your toes? As it turns out, this urge goes much deeper than simply feeling good. It has been repeatedly demonstrated that there is a significant electrical interaction between the Earth and each one of us.Earth, as it turns out, is not neutrally charged as was originally believed – it has a negative charge. This means that is has an abundance of electrons. This charge does not interact with us too often since we live in insulated buildings and wear insulated footwear. In other words, we rarely touch the ground!Why does touching the ground matter?Humans evolved, like all animals, walking on the ground without insulating barriers between the Earth and our feet. It is common knowledge that the soles of our feet are extremely sensitive due to a high concentration of nerve endings. Since nerve tissue is electrically conductive, it is easy to understand that the bottoms of our feet are highly conductive surfaces.Because of the conductivity of our soles, it was proposed that perhaps there was an electrical interaction between the Earth’s negative charge and our bodies. This hypothesis was tested many times and the results were nothing short of amazing.Researchers found that there was a significant relation between the charge of our bodies and the ground. In fact, it has been determined that the Earth acts as a natural reservoir of electric energy. If a person with an excessive negative charge, or an excess of electrons, steps onto the ground, the excess will be absorbed into the Earth. If a person has a positive charge, or a deficiency of electrons, then the Earth will supply what is needed to achieve homeostasis (balance). This is a truly amazing discovery: stepping on the ground electrically balances you!Why is this significant?In the past twenty years, we have witnessed an explosion of research conducted on human physiology and disease. What has been discovered has prompted almost global awareness of the importance of antioxidants and the process of oxidation. Oxidation, literally the same process of iron rusting, has been found to greatly contribute to aging and the formation of disease. The culprits are “free radicals.” A free radical is a molecule that has become unstable because of the lack of an electron. Free radicals will ‘take’ electrons from other molecules in order to become stable, but in the process they produce more free radicals. In time, free radicals can damage any tissue and lead to aging and disease.Free radicals form in our bodies naturally as a byproduct of stress, environmental & dietary toxins and natural metabolic processes. Nature’s solution to free radicals is anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are substances that help put a stop to oxidation by providing the missing electrons to free radicals without becoming free radicals themselves.Thanks to the progress of science, we now better understand that related to oxidation is the natural process of inflammation. Inflammation, called “the silent killer,” is the leading theory on the underlying cause of many diseases (such as cancer and heart disease). The problem of inflammation lies not in a scarcity of electrons, as in oxidation, but in an excess of electrons.Stay Balanced, Stay Grounded!When you ground yourself, you are utilizing nature’s most powerful form of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory: free electrons. The effect does not need to come from an injection or a drug; it comes directly from the Earth. All you have to do is put your bare feet on the ground!We live in an environment where we are exposed to an ever-growing amount of electromagnetic fields (EMF), this increases the amount of free radicals being produced in our bodies. Free radicals are positively charged molecules which lead to inflammation. Direct contact with earth instantly transfers natural electrical energy to the body, as the earth is a limitless source of negative-charged free electrons. (Our heart, brain, nervous system, muscles and immune system are all essentially electrical subsystems operating within a ‘bioelectrical’ body.)When you are in direct contact with the ground (walking, sitting, or laying down on the earth’s surface), the flow of energy from the earth (free electrons) neutralises the impact of free radicals in our body. This induces favorable physiological changes that promote optimum health.Traditionally shoes were made of leather, which actually conducts electrons and therefore maintains a conductive contact between the Earth and your feet. However modern day rubber and plastics are electrical insulators and therefore block the beneficial flow of electrons from the Earth to your body.Earthing can be done by walking barefoot and/or sitting outside on the lawn, dirt, or sand. Earthing should be done for at least 60 minutes every day and for optimal benefits as much as you can in a day! These are microscope images of blood taken from three individuals just before and after forty minutes of grounding.(The before images are on the left, the after on the right.) The pictures clearly show a dramatic thinning and decoupling of the blood cells.The reasons why we need to walk barefoot and tap into the primal energy of the Earth.

Inflammation has been linked to nearly every degenerative disease you can think of — cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, glaucoma, autoimmune disorders, cancer and many more. Earthing reduces chronic inflammation and related chronic pain.

When you ground to the electron-enriched earth, an improved balance of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system occurs.

Enhances circulation, leading to more energy

The Earth is the natural antidote for electron deficiency to achieve a healthy balance.

Improved sleep

Reduces hormonal and menstrual symptoms

Dr. James Oschman, Ph.D. biophysicist and pioneer Earthing researcher, says, “The moment your foot touches the Earth… your physiology changes. An immediate normalization begins. and an anti-inflammatory switch is turned on. People stay inflamed because they never connect to the Earth, the source of free electrons, which can neutralize the free radicals in the body that cause disease and cellular destruction.”Here is an informative video on the benefits of Grounding and why everyone needs to reconnect with Earth’s energy. This video below shows Clint Ober, who discovered the benefits of Earthing, explaining more about it:References:

It's about time! The practice of Reiki is finally main stream! The ancient Japanese art of energy healing is now being offered to patients of the University of Pennsylvania at the Penn Radnor location. Click on this link to learn more about the practice of Reiki. http://www.mindbodyprana.com/reiki.html

Adam McLeod (Dreamhealer), a gifted Vancouver-based Naturopathic Doctor, energy healer, best-selling author of four books and producer of two popular, interactive DVD, feels vindicated since science is now catching up with something he has been teaching over the last 10 years. Dr. McLeod has been prominently featured in the news over the last 10 years with a number of successful healing stories, especially the healing of rock legend Ronnie Hawkins, who received a diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer over 10 years ago.Adam’s main focus at his workshops, in his books and DVDs is that our focused intentions can influence our health and healing. In 2006 he carried out EEG (electroencephalographic) studies with a prominent Psychologist in Vancouver. The EEG confirmed that the subject’s brain wave activity in the experiment could be influenced remotely. Since then Adam has graduated from SFU in Molecular Biology and biochemistry with first class honours. Adam continued his studies and has recently graduated from a 4- year medical program at Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine.In 2009 Adam set up in the “Global Intention Heals” project in which thousands of people were coordinated to send focused intentions to one individual, who was hooked up to an EEG system. The volunteer was unaware of the time for the intention to be sent. The project proved that sending healing intentions changes the physiology of someone at a distance.Over the years there have been numerous scientific research papers produced to support Adam’s teachings. A group of Japanese scientists from the University of Tokyo under the supervision of Mio Watanabe, conducted a series of experiments by which they managed to visually capture the aura of a person, thus proving its existence!The Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) Laboratory has also been trying to wrap their heads around the subject and have concluded that the mind does in fact have a subtle capacity to influence the output of devices known as Random Event Generators (REGs).Adam specifically teaches that our intentions can influence and cause molecular changes in our body’s. A recent article published by Dr. Bruce Lipton states that, “Scientists Finally Show How Your Thoughts Can Cause Specific Molecular Changes to Your Genes.”The possibilities are endless as we may each realize our own potential to influence our health and every aspect of our world.“What appears to separate us is only illusion. It follows that what we do for ourselves is ultimately what we do for everyone. Helping everyone is therefore an unavoidable outcome of truly helping ourselves.” - AdamTo see a list of Adam’s upcoming workshops, visit the website:http://dreamhealer.com/Connect with Adam on Facebook and Twitter:https://www.facebook.com/Adam.McLeod.Dreamhealerhttps://twitter.com/Dreamhealer

It’s long past graduation season, but we recently learned that George Saunders delivered the convocation speech at Syracuse University for the class of 2013, and George was kind enough to send it our way and allow us to reprint it here. The speech touches on some of the moments in his life and larger themes (in his life and work) that George spoke about in the profile we ran back in January — the need for kindness and all the things working against our actually achieving it, the risk in focusing too much on “success,” the trouble with swimming in a river full of monkey feces.Damon Winter/The New York TimesGeorge Saunders:Down through the ages, a traditional form has evolved for this type of speech, which is: Some old fart, his best years behind him, who, over the course of his life, has made a series of dreadful mistakes (that would be me), gives heartfelt advice to a group of shining, energetic young people, with all of their best years ahead of them (that would be you).And I intend to respect that tradition.Now, one useful thing you can do with an old person, in addition to borrowing money from them, or asking them to do one of their old-time “dances,” so you can watch, while laughing, is ask: “Looking back, what do you regret?” And they’ll tell you. Sometimes, as you know, they’ll tell you even if you haven’t asked. Sometimes, even when you’ve specifically requested they not tell you, they’ll tell you.So: What do I regret? Being poor from time to time? Not really. Working terrible jobs, like “knuckle-puller in a slaughterhouse?” (And don’t even ASK what that entails.) No. I don’t regret that. Skinny-dipping in a river in Sumatra, a little buzzed, and looking up and seeing like 300 monkeys sitting on a pipeline, pooping down into the river, the river in which I was swimming, with my mouth open, naked? And getting deathly ill afterwards, and staying sick for the next seven months? Not so much. Do I regret the occasional humiliation? Like once, playing hockey in front of a big crowd, including this girl I really liked, I somehow managed, while falling and emitting this weird whooping noise, to score on my own goalie, while also sending my stick flying into the crowd, nearly hitting that girl? No. I don’t even regret that.But here’s something I do regret:In seventh grade, this new kid joined our class. In the interest of confidentiality, her Convocation Speech name will be “ELLEN.” ELLEN was small, shy. She wore these blue cat’s-eye glasses that, at the time, only old ladies wore. When nervous, which was pretty much always, she had a habit of taking a strand of hair into her mouth and chewing on it.So she came to our school and our neighborhood, and was mostly ignored, occasionally teased (“Your hair taste good?” – that sort of thing). I could see this hurt her. I still remember the way she’d look after such an insult: eyes cast down, a little gut-kicked, as if, having just been reminded of her place in things, she was trying, as much as possible, to disappear. After awhile she’d drift away, hair-strand still in her mouth. At home, I imagined, after school, her mother would say, you know: “How was your day, sweetie?” and she’d say, “Oh, fine.” And her mother would say, “Making any friends?” and she’d go, “Sure, lots.”Sometimes I’d see her hanging around alone in her front yard, as if afraid to leave it.And then – they moved. That was it. No tragedy, no big final hazing.One day she was there, next day she wasn’t.End of story.Now, why do I regret that? Why, forty-two years later, am I still thinking about it? Relative to most of the other kids, I was actually pretty nice to her. I never said an unkind word to her. In fact, I sometimes even (mildly) defended her.But still. It bothers me.

So here’s something I know to be true, although it’s a little corny, and I don’t quite know what to do with it:

What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness. Those moments when another human being was there, in front of me, suffering, and I responded…sensibly. Reservedly. Mildly.Or, to look at it from the other end of the telescope: Who, in your life, do you remember most fondly, with the most undeniable feelings of warmth?Those who were kindest to you, I bet.It’s a little facile, maybe, and certainly hard to implement, but I’d say, as a goal in life, you could do worse than: Try to be kinder.Now, the million-dollar question: What’s our problem? Why aren’t we kinder?Here’s what I think:Each of us is born with a series of built-in confusions that are probably somehow Darwinian. These are: (1) we’re central to the universe (that is, our personal story is the main and most interesting story, the only story, really); (2) we’re separate from the universe (there’s US and then, out there, all that other junk – dogs and swing-sets, and the State of Nebraska and low-hanging clouds and, you know, other people), and (3) we’re permanent (death is real, o.k., sure – for you, but not for me).Now, we don’t really believe these things – intellectually we know better – but we believe them viscerally, and live by them, and they cause us to prioritize our own needs over the needs of others, even though what we really want, in our hearts, is to be less selfish, more aware of what’s actually happening in the present moment, more open, and more loving.So, the second million-dollar question: How might we DO this? How might we become more loving, more open, less selfish, more present, less delusional, etc., etc?Well, yes, good question.Unfortunately, I only have three minutes left.So let me just say this. There are ways. You already know that because, in your life, there have been High Kindness periods and Low Kindness periods, and you know what inclined you toward the former and away from the latter. Education is good; immersing ourselves in a work of art: good; prayer is good; meditation’s good; a frank talk with a dear friend; establishing ourselves in some kind of spiritual tradition – recognizing that there have been countless really smart people before us who have asked these same questions and left behind answers for us.Because kindness, it turns out, is hard – it starts out all rainbows and puppy dogs, and expands to include…well,everything.One thing in our favor: some of this “becoming kinder” happens naturally, with age. It might be a simple matter of attrition: as we get older, we come to see how useless it is to be selfish – how illogical, really. We come to love other people and are thereby counter-instructed in our own centrality. We get our butts kicked by real life, and people come to our defense, and help us, and we learn that we’re not separate, and don’t want to be. We see people near and dear to us dropping away, and are gradually convinced that maybe we too will drop away (someday, a long time from now). Most people, as they age, become less selfish and more loving. I think this is true. The great Syracuse poet, Hayden Carruth, said, in a poem written near the end of his life, that he was “mostly Love, now.”And so, a prediction, and my heartfelt wish for you: as you get older, your self will diminish and you will grow in love. YOU will gradually be replaced by LOVE. If you have kids, that will be a huge moment in your process of self-diminishment. You really won’t care what happens to YOU, as long as they benefit. That’s one reason your parents are so proud and happy today. One of their fondest dreams has come true: you have accomplished something difficult and tangible that has enlarged you as a person and will make your life better, from here on in, forever.Congratulations, by the way.When young, we’re anxious – understandably – to find out if we’ve got what it takes. Can we succeed? Can we build a viable life for ourselves? But you – in particular you, of this generation – may have noticed a certain cyclical quality to ambition. You do well in high-school, in hopes of getting into a good college, so you can do well in the good college, in the hopes of getting a good job, so you can do well in the good job so you can….And this is actually O.K. If we’re going to become kinder, that process has to include taking ourselves seriously – as doers, as accomplishers, as dreamers. We have to do that, to be our best selves.Still, accomplishment is unreliable. “Succeeding,” whatever that might mean to you, is hard, and the need to do so constantly renews itself (success is like a mountain that keeps growing ahead of you as you hike it), and there’s the very real danger that “succeeding” will take up your whole life, while the big questions go untended.So, quick, end-of-speech advice: Since, according to me, your life is going to be a gradual process of becoming kinder and more loving: Hurry up. Speed it along. Start right now. There’s a confusion in each of us, a sickness, really:selfishness. But there’s also a cure. So be a good and proactive and even somewhat desperate patient on your own behalf – seek out the most efficacious anti-selfishness medicines, energetically, for the rest of your life.Do all the other things, the ambitious things – travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes, swim naked in wild jungle rivers (after first having it tested for monkey poop) – but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness. Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial. That luminous part of you that exists beyond personality – your soul, if you will – is as bright and shining as any that has ever been. Bright as Shakespeare’s, bright as Gandhi’s, bright as Mother Teresa’s. Clear away everything that keeps you separate from this secret luminous place. Believe it exists, come to know it better, nurture it, share its fruits tirelessly.And someday, in 80 years, when you’re 100, and I’m 134, and we’re both so kind and loving we’re nearly unbearable, drop me a line, let me know how your life has been. I hope you will say: It has been so wonderful.Congratulations, Class of 2013.I wish you great happiness, all the luck in the world, and a beautiful summer.

Reiki and the Light of PrayerB y Colleen Benelli

Prayer is a message to God sent from our hearts. Prayer holdsthe belief that there is a Higher Power who listens, cares andintervenes on our behalf. It invites enlightened beings intoour lives to guide and assist us and tells them of our needs, intentions and gratitude. Prayer is a manner of communication that cantranscend the density of the earth and travel to the spirit realmswhere many enlightened beings live and assist humanity.Using prayer with Reiki is a personal choice. Not all Reikipractitioners enjoy prayer or find it necessary for their practice.Many Reiki practitioners work with Reiki strictly as energy. Eitherway is appropriate; Reiki heals regardless. If you decide to includeprayer in your Reiki practice, this article will give you ideas onhow to develop your prayer skills and your own prayer style.Including prayer with Reiki empowers our relationship withthe Divine. Both Reiki and prayer increase our awareness of thepresence of sacred beings. Each enhances the other. Reiki alignsour prayer with our heart and the truth of what we ask, andprayers invite God and our spiritual helpers to our Reiki practices. Reiki adds light to a prayer, and prayers communicate ourneeds. Together, they are a powerful light of intention sentdirectly to the Divine. “Mystics have believed in the power of prayer since ancienttimes. It is through prayer, visualization, affirmations, and experiencing or feeling the essence of what we are praying for thatcauses miracles and blessings to manifest in our lives. These arethe tools of creation.” (Laurelle Shanti Gaia, in The Book OnKaruna Reiki®.)Dr. Usui asked that Reiki practitioners pray the Five ReikiIdeals twice daily to enrich their Reiki practice. He said, “Everymorning and evening join your hands in prayer, pray these wordsto your heart and chant these words with your mouth. Just fortoday, do not anger. Do not worry and be filled with gratitude.Devote yourself to your work, and be kind to people.” Dr. Usuipracticed and taught Reiji Ho, which means “indication of spirit,” an intention to invite Spirit to our Reiki work. Reiji Ho isone of Dr. Usui’s three pillars of Reiki, along with Gassho (meditation) and Chiryo (treatment). How Reiki assists us with our prayersWithout the power of God Consciousness, prayers are simplywords. The light within them is dim. Words can carry low vibrations, attachments, beliefs and bargains, and their manifestationcan sometimes have unexpected results. When we empower ourwords and prayers unconsciously and use our personal agenda, wemay experience the unintended consequence of our efforts, leading to the old saying, “Be careful what you pray for, you may justget it.” Reiki connects our mind and our heart with God Consciousness and aligns our intentions with truth. Reiki helps usrelease our personal attachments and lower vibration desires byincreasing the light and vibration in our hearts so we can praywith love and pure intentions. The Reiki guides say that prayer is seen in the spirit realms aslight emanating from the Earth. Reiki strengthens the light of ourprayer and makes it more visible. The Power symbol connects usto the enlightened realms. It also helps us release any unwantedattachments in our prayer. The Mental/Emotional symbol cancleanse and clarify our prayers and intentions. The Distant Healing symbol sees the Divine heart in ourselves and the Divine heartof our prayer, and it can carry our prayer on the Bridge of Light tothe enlightened ones who can help us. It also carries the healingintention of our prayers for others that we heal at a distance. Reiki is a vehicle for our prayers to manifest. When we arehealing with Reiki, our prayers and spiritual helpers have accessto our physical body, mind, emotions and spirit. We have askedor help and made ourselves available to receive healing. Whenwe combine Reiki and prayer, we create a powerful opportunityfor miracles to happen.When the outcome of prayer is not what we had hoped, Reikican heal us, imparting a sense of peace and trust in the most difficult times. Reiki helps us let go and allow the highest good of all tobe served, even when we do not understand. Reiki blesses us andfills us with light and heals our hearts. It connects us to our spiritual understanding of a situation and makes it easier to “let it be.” How prayer assists ReikiI use prayer in all of my Reiki practices—treatments, workshops, ceremonies, my Reiki craft projects, meditations, and in mydaily life. My prayers are always an invitation to my Reiki guides,spiritual helpers and God to guide and assist me in my work. Theycommunicate my intentions to these enlightened beings, and theycreate the opportunity for spirit to channel through Reiki to dothe healing work on behalf of my clients, students and me. Before a client arrives for a Reiki treatment, I activate theReiki symbols in me and in the room; I place my hands in Gasshoand begin to listen. When my client arrives and we talk abouttheir healing needs, the symbols begin their work to help the person clarify their intention. I activate the symbols over the client,place my hands on them and activate Reiji Ho with my prayerand invocation.The invocation invites the enlightened ones best suited forthe Reiki work and communicates the intentions of the client tothem. Often, the truth of the intention is clarified through myinvocation. The process of praying aloud while connected toReiki and my client aligns the words with Spirit and my client’sheart, and their true purpose is revealed. Hearing the meaning oftheir prayer has a very healing effect. Often clients remembertheir true vision and goals when they hear the words. The prayerthen directs the Reiki treatment and gives me the place to focusmy attention in the treatment. I can completely let go because Iknow my Reiki guides and spirit helpers are present; they knowwhat is needed, and they are the ones who do the healing work.I am simply a channel for their grace.Arjava Petter says in his book, Reiki Fire, “Personally, I find itvery helpful to remember that we are touching the Divine everytime we give a session or an initiation to a fellow being.” He alsosays in The Original Reiki Handbook of Dr. Mikao Usui, “Onlywhen we can devote ourselves without being prejudiced by ourthoughts and feelings, will we become an instrument for the universal life energy.” Prayer is also important in my workshops. Prayer invites Spirit to the class. I use my invocation to align the mind and heartsof all attending with God Consciousness and communicate to thespirit guides what we are going to do that day. In my prayer, I askto “close the circle” and ask to create an enhanced learning environment so those present can feel the energy of Reiki. It alsoallows me to step out of my head and teach from my heart, whichmakes it easier for my students to listen and absorb the information presented. I use prayer throughout the day in guided meditations and before the Reiki attunements. Prayer helps the studentsand me center into the ceremony and tells the Reiki guideswhich attunement I am giving. At the end of the day, I use prayerto “open the circle” and release the energy, participants, andReiki guides from the circle. I pray my thanksgiving for the dayand all the blessings received. I use prayer and invocation in my meditations. Both in mypersonal meditations and when I am doing guided meditations forothers. Distant Reiki is also a form of prayer. And, I use prayer inmy Reiki craft projects to imbue them with intention. Currently,I knit scarves and donate them to children in hospitals. I pray forthe health of the children and chant the Reiki symbols as I knit,imbuing the stitches with my prayer. Prayer for me is more a style of communication than a form ofworship. Prayer creates a particular experience of Reiki. It is theexperience of the Divine that many of us find so fulfilling. I lovemy connection and relationships with my Reiki guides and myspirit helpers. They enrich my life every day. My prayers are simply a method of talking to them and listening so I can hear theguidance they offer. Developing your prayer skills and stylePraying did not come easily to me. Praying aloud in front ofothers gave me terrible anxiety. I literally suffered at thethought. However, not being able to pray or pray aloud was ahuge limitation for the style of Reiki that I wanted to practice.In addition to my healing practice and Reiki workshops, I writeand perform many ceremonies. Ceremonies require a lot ofprayers and thoughtful preparation. Therefore, I had to teachmyself to pray and had to make a deliberate effort to develop myprayer skills. To begin, I went to the bookstores and found prayer books. Myfavorite is Illuminata, by Marianne Williamson. It is filled withprayers for just about everything. Her prayer style is still noticeable in all of my work. Marianne advises: “Read my prayers orsomeone else’s. By all means, create your own. It can be very powerful to write down prayers. Some people find value in keeping aprayer journal.” So, I started a prayer journal and began to write.I interlaced some of my own words into the prayers in the book,or I used a little of one prayer with a little of another from a different prayer book. For several years, I wrote my prayers down and read themfrom my prayer journal. I was too intimidated to try to pray offthe cuff, so I gave myself the freedom to adopt others’ styles andto read my prayers from a book, until I became comfortable letting the prayers come through me as they do now. I used theMental/Emotional symbol to help remove my inhibitions aboutpraying out loud, to clear my mind and feel less anxious. With aclear mind, I could hear what I wanted to say and allow thewords to come through. I used the Distant Healing symbol to listen to my Reiki guides and what they wanted to say, and I wrotetheir words too. An invocation is a specific style of prayer offered at the beginning of an activity to direct and guide the process. It invokes orinvites Spirit to us and states an intention. I learned my invocation style from my shamanic teacher Jan Engels-Smith. Like Marianne Williamson, she encouraged me to adopt parts of her invocation until I developed my own. I still include some of what Ilearned in my current invocation. Mine has a format that I useevery time, but the words change according to the intention. Iactivate Reiji Ho with my invocation for all my Reiki activities.It gives me great enjoyment and happiness and the experience ofthe Divine in all that I do. Here is one format for an invocation. 1. Begin with a term of endearment toward the being youare praying to. Examples are: Dear Jesus, Dearest Lord,Great Spirit, Mother Father God, Infinite Spirit, and manyothers. I use Dear Ones most often, and when I am in agroup, I use what is comfortable to them. In my Reiki circles and classes, I invite the blessed ones, the sacred onesof all of the people in the room. Decide what is comfortable for you. 2. Establish a place to meet your Reiki guides, or whomever you’re praying to: I go to the place of purity. “At thismoment in time, I lift my vibration above the density ofthe earth, and I stand in that place of purity. The place ofpure light, love, pure joy, truth and beauty. The place ofpure grace and gratitude.” You could also meet anywhere,a garden, forest, or a room. 3. Welcome your Divine self and align with God Consciousness. “I stand here and remember that I too am abeing of pure light, love and joy, truth and beauty, graceand gratitude.” 4. Welcome the Reiki guides and the beings of light andlove who are to be there. If you do not know them byname, ask for enlightened spiritual helpers, compassionateteachers, or beings of light and love. Or, ask for them bycategory, such as angels, power animals, spiritual teachersand guides, compassionate ancestors and descendants. Ialso include them by name, Jesus and Mother Mary, theArchangel Michael, etc. If you don’t have any experiencewith your guides, invite the ones you want to know. 5. State your intention and tell your spirit guides what youneed. Here is the invocation I prayed for this article. “Iwelcome the Reiki guides who teach prayer, invocationand guided meditation, and I ask that you assist me inwriting this article, ‘Reiki and the Light of Prayer.’ “I askthat it is easy to write and easy to understand and that ithelp people learn and grow and be confident and inspiredin their ability to pray for themselves and others.”6. Ask to be clear and open for Reiki to flow withoutinterference. “I ask to be a clear and open channel for theLight of Prayer and Reiki to teach and express itself in thisarticle.”7. Say thank you. “Thank you, Dear Ones, for the blessings,teaching and gifts you give me and all of us. Thank you foryour help and guidance. I thank all of the people who helpwith these words and teachings, and I include myself. Isend love and greetings to all.”Here is a beautiful invocation from The Book on Karuna Reiki®:Creator, Infinite Spirit, Mother Father Divine:We are here before you as instruments of peace and healing and we offer ourselves as servants of the light.We call upon only the highest and most sacred spiritual energiesto be with us, to guide us, to share love, healing and wisdom withus; we send them our love; and we welcome them.We raise ourselves up to receive healing for our highest good and the highest good of all concerned.We offer ourselves as clear and open channels for the highest forms of the healing rays to flow through.We give thanks that our personalities, egos and expectations stand aside, so the healing energies Creator we give thanks for the blessings of this healing and we know that through your love, it is done.And So It Is.The author also reminds us that prayer can be very simple, asin the example below.Dear God:Thank you for helping me heal. Thank you that I am happy, prosperous and peaceful. Thank you for my many blessings. Thank you that I am the essence of Universal Love and Compassion. And So It Is. ConclusionWhen I asked my Reiki guides what they wanted to say, they said,“There are as many styles of prayer as there are people, beliefs andcultures. Who you pray to is who will answer you. Perhaps yourintention will call a particular enlightened being who specializes inyour healing needs. We see your prayers as beams of light. Reiki addsradiance and power to the light of prayer and makes them more visible to us. All prayers are answered, whether or not you understand.Perhaps they are not answered in this world, but they are answeredin another portion of your soul. We love your prayers; they give uspermission to help you because you have asked. When you use Reikiwith your prayers, you make yourself available to receive from theDivine. Reiki empowers us to help because it is a very high vibrationlike ours and gives us better access to you. Please pray often. It doesnot matter your style or your words. Just talk to us through the lightof prayer.” 1

Reiki And Energy Although it certainly isn’t essential to know a lot about the human energy field (auras and chakras) in order to use Reiki effectively, I find that it helps my students enormously if they first gain an understanding of thebody’s natural energy system before I begin to explain about Reiki. Of course we know that Reiki is an energy—the word means spiritual energy or universal life-force energy—and when we use it in healing, it acts holistically, affecting all of the energies which comprise the human body, or animals, or anything else in the natural world.Einstein and later quantum physicists have explained that at an atomic level everything that exists in the universe is energy, vibrating and oscillating at different rates, and that physical matter and energy are just two forms of the same thing. Some of these energetic vibrations are very familiar to us, such as sound, light, radio waves, or X-rays. These are all part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and from a scientific perspective the only difference between these various forms of energy is that each oscillates at a different frequency or rate of vibration. The human body, and the energy field which surrounds and interpenetrates it, is also made up of electromagnetic energy, and every person has a unique vibrational energy signature, or frequency, in the same way as we all have unique fingerprints or DNA.The electrical output of a person’s whole body can actually be measured using an electromyograph, and some interesting research was carried out on a variety of people a few years ago by Dr Valerie Hunt, author ofInfinite Mind: The Science of Human Vibrations. She recorded the output at the high-energy sites on the body known as chakras, and some fascinating results were obtained. Most people in the study registered within the normal range, around 250 cps (cycles per second). But when the tests were carried out on people who used healing energies (such as Reiki) and others who actively used their psychic ability, it was found that their frequencies registered in a band between 400 and 800 cps. Even higher frequencies–more than 900 cps - were found in people who were not only healers and psychics, but also followed a very spiritual path, regularly practising deep meditation. So when we talk about Reiki raising your vibrations there is now scientific evidence to prove that is true! *Editor’s note: Please see the interview with James Oschman in this issue.The Human Energy Body The physical body is something we all know about—we can see it and feel it—yet every cell within it is actually energy or light, vibrating at a slow enough rate to make it into visible physical matter. However, surrounding and interpenetrating our physical body is another body of energy made up of much finer, lighter, and higher vibrations, which is usually called the aura, the auric field, or the human energy body. This auric field is as much a part of you as your physical body–indeed your physical body is really just the densest inner layer of this flowing energy field. However, the higher frequencies of the energies that make up the aura mean it is harder to see with the naked eye, although it can be detected by some scientific equipment and a representation of the aura can also be photographed using a specially developed Kirlian camera.In addition to the aura, our energy body contains some active energy centres known as chakras, and a range of energy channels flowing through the body called meridians and nadis. Perhaps the easiest way of understanding this is to think of the energy body in similar terms to your physical body. The aura is the energy equivalent of your whole physical body, the chakras correspond to your brain and major organs, and the meridians and nadis are similar to your veins and arteries, but instead of blood, they carry energy—Ki—all over the body.The aura is a field of energy or light that completely surrounds the physical body above, below, and on all sides. It is made up of seven layers, with the inner layers closest to the physical body comprised of the densest energy, and each succeeding layer being of finer and higher vibrations. Most people have an oval (elliptical) aura, which is slightly larger at the back than at the front and fairly narrow at the sides, and it also stretches above the head and below the feet. Your aura is not always the same size, however, as it can expand or contract depending upon a variety of factors such as how healthy you are, how you are feeling emotionally or psychologically at any given moment, or how comfortable you feel with the people in your immediate surroundings.This aura is spiritual energy, or life-force, which is present around each of us from birth (and before birth, as the foetus develops) until around the time of our death. (Usually just before death only a narrow band of spiritual energy remains, linking all the chakras in the centre of the body, and shortly after physical death, no aura can be detected, because the life-force no longer exists.) In a living person the outer edges and the individual layers of the aura can be detected using dowsing rods or a pendulum, and they can also be sensed with the hands. The densest layers, nearest the body, can also be seen with the naked eye by most people with a little practice, and some very psychic people can see the whole energy body quite clearly. Painters over the centuries have depicted the aura around the heads of angels, saints, and prophets as a bright golden halo, indicating their pure and spiritual energy.Detecting The Aura Detecting auras is the first thing I teach in my Reiki classes. Apart from being great fun, it also allows people to gain a real understanding of the concept of energy and life-force before they learn to use the higher vibrations of Reiki healing energy to permeate, clear, balance, and energise the whole energy body.The biggest shock for most people is finding out how large the aura can be! Of course it varies from person to person and it changes from day to day, but the outer layer of the aura can be anywhere from about two metres (six feet) to twenty metres (sixty-six feet) or even further away from the person’s physical body. This means that whenever we are with other people our auras are intermingling, and whether or not we are mindful of it we are picking up signals from other people’s auras all the time.Although we may not be consciously aware of the fact, we all use our auras as sensing devices—what you might call the eyes in the back of your head. Maybe you have experienced a strange prickling sensation at the back of your neck when someone has been looking at you from behind? Or have you ever felt particularly drawn to sit next to someone, or alternatively, felt a sense of discomfort when standing next to someone else, even though you do not know that person? This could be because your aura has already picked up either complementary or disturbing energies within the other person’s aura. Perhaps you have even been able to sense the atmosphere within a room before you have opened the door? This isn’t surprising, really, when you consider that your aura may extend far ahead of you. It is made up of finer and lighter vibrations, and it can pass through the denser energy of physical matter, so it is already in the room picking up the vibrations of other people’s auric fields.You don’t need expensive equipment to detect the aura—as I have stated, it can be done with dowsing rods or a pendulum, and it can also be sensed or felt with the hands.Most people have heard of dowsing only in relation to finding sources of water, but dowsing is actually much more useful than that; it can be used to find virtually anything from minerals, metals, and oil to ley(?) lines, prehistoric earthworks, magnetic north, or even lost purses! Also, most people seem to think that dowsing is difficult, or that only certain people can do it, but it’s really very easy and takes only a few minutes to learn. I know, having shown hundreds of people how to do it.The theory behind dowsing is also simple. Dowsing rods are usually made of a Y-shaped piece of hazel wood or from pieces of metal, and the ones I use in my classes are made of old metal coat-hangers, the type you often get with your dry-cleaning garments. I imagine you would agree with me that, as far as we know, there is no intelligent life in a coat-hanger, or even in a piece of long-dead wood! So that must mean that it is the person holding the rod who is actually doing the divining, not the rod itself.The reason for this is that we are all electromagnetic beings, and as such are excellent receivers for an enormous range of vibrations of energy—and everything in the Universe is energy, as I have already described. Everything has a unique vibrational frequency or signature, and if we tune our thoughts into the specific frequency of an object or a particular person, then that is what we find. Just as our intention is what switches on the flow of Reiki when we want to use it, our intention is all that is needed to switch on this innate skill, which is why dowsers who are looking for water find water, not precious metals or coal. The reason the dowsing rods (or pendulums) move is minute energetic oscillations in the hands of the person holding them, which the dowsing rods then amplify into a signal which can be seen—the rods moving to the left or right, crossing over each other, or opening out.Coat hangers can be used to dowse the AuraMaking And Using Dowsing Rods Dowsing rods are used in pairs, and are easy to make. First, cut the hooked part off a wire coat-hanger, then cut the remaining metal in two and straighten it out, and finally make a bend of 90 degrees about a third of the length from one end of each rod. As an alternative you can buy short metal rods from plumbing or welding suppliers (bronze is good); these are often easier to cut and bend into shape. You may find it useful to put the shorter end into a free-flowing handle such as a piece of bamboo, or the plastic cover from an old ball-point pen, or better still short lengths of quarter-inch copper tubing. However, it is just as effective if you hold the metal in your hands, but you do have to hold it loosely, because if you grip it tightly it can’t move. If you prefer, you can just use a pair of coat-hangers without making them into rods. By holding the straight sides in each hand with the hooks facing away from you, the hooks can swing back and forth, although they don’t seem to provide quite the same sensitivity as rods, as they are a bit more limited in movement.Hold the rods at about mid-chest height, about thirty cms (twelve inches) apart and fairly close to your body so that the longer edge is pointing forward horizontally. Do try to keep the rods straight out in front of you, as they don’t work well if they are dipping downward. Make sure your shoulders are really relaxed—tense shoulders inhibit the flow of energy and will stop the rods from moving.Next you need to establish how the dowsing rods are going to demonstrate (by amplifying the signals in your hands) the energetic polarities of positive and negative. To do this you simply tune in to the energetic vibration of “positive” by either saying aloud or thinking “What is positive?” And later, “What is negative?” Just wait for the rods to react, because it is yourintention that guides the flow of energy. When I'm teaching people how to dowse my favourite part is seeing the astonished expressions on people’s faces when their rods actually move!Most people find that the rods cross over for positive, and open out for negative, but if yours don’t do that don’t worry—it's perfectly normal! They may open out for positive and cross for negative, or both rods may go to the left and then the right, or one may move and the other stay still. Sometimes they even go round and round like helicopter blades, either clockwise or anti-clockwise, although you have to move your hands further out from your body for this to happen or the rods will simply come to a stop when they hit your body or your arm. Whichever way the rods move is fine. The rods are simply amplifying the signals in your own hands. So even if they move the same way for both positive and negative this doesn’t really matter; although do persevere for a little while, as it is helpful if you can identify the differences. Once you have established how your rods demonstrate positive and negative you are ready to start dowsing for auras.Dowsing the AuraHolding the rods comfortably and loosely at mid-chest height, stand some distance away from the person whose aura you want to detect. Seven to ten metres (twenty to thirty feet) away would be good, but it will still work in a more restricted space, although you may not find the outer layer. Then tune in to the person’s unique energy vibrations by saying aloud or silently “I am looking for this person’s aura” (insert the name of the person). Providing you are far enough away from the person, as you walk very slowly and evenly towards them, when the rods react by crossing or opening out (or whatever reaction is normal for you) you will have found the outer edge of their aura. If you are already within that person’s aura when you start, the rods may begin to move immediately. You can stop when the rods react. Then slowly walk forward again until you reach the next area where the rods change their reaction. It is not necessary to continually reaffirm that you are looking for the person’s aura—saying it once at the beginning is enough. And so on, until you get very close to the person. But do stop before the dowsing rods crash into the person! Remember the innermost layer(s) may be only a few centimetres from the body, so you may only be able to detect five or six of the seven layers.For the majority of people, the layers of their auras seem to be alternately positive and negative energy—not meaning good or bad, but simply indicating a different set of vibrations, similar to positive and negative polarities in magnetism. However, some people’s auric layers are all the same—all positive, or all negative—and others have the first three layers positive, and the next four negative, and so on. Occasionally I find that a person has a few particularly active layers in their aura which don’t register as positive or negative, but which when detected with dowsing rods cause the rods to circulate like helicopter blades, as I have mentioned above. Technically these layers might be neutral energy, but I prefer to call them “curly”! However, each person is individual, so there is no right or wrong in this—just as there is no right or wrong about having dark hair instead of blonde. That’s just the way it is!Dowsing the AuraWhat you may find interesting is to try detecting someone’s aura before a Reiki attunement, and then again afterwards, and compare the results. I sometimes have my students do this. To their amazement, they find that their auras have expanded to two or three times the size they were before the attunement. You need a very large space to check this out and usually will have to go outside to get enough space! It also works if you try it before and after a Reiki treatment, although the expansion isn’t usually quite so great. Another fun thing to try is detecting the auras around plants. One of my students was quite freaked out when detecting the aura of a large houseplant when he felt himself being pushed back by the plant’s aura—which I guess indicated that the plant didn’t particularly like its energy field being interfered with in that way! Plants are living beings, so if you try this, remember to ask permission first (even if you feel silly doing so); if you sense any discomfort, or even get a “no” in your head, then choose another plant.Sensing The Aura With Your Hands Something else you might like to try is sensing the aura directly with your hands. The easiest way is to sense your own aura between the palms of your hands. Hold your hands out in front of you with the palms facing each other, about sixty cms (two feet) apart, and intend to detect your auric energy. Remember, it is your intention that switches on the ability. Now close your eyes, so you have fewer distractions and can concentrate on any sensations in your hands and fingers, and then slowly bring your hands closer together. You may find that your palms get warm, or your fingers begin to tingle, and as your hands get quite close together you may feel a resistance between them, almost as though you have a balloon between your hands. That’s your auric energy!Sensing the AuraAnother exercise I use with my Reiki students is to ask them to work in pairs, with one sitting in a chair and the other standing behind them, about an arm’s length away. The one standing then puts their arms out to their sides with the palms of their hands facing forward, fingers together, at about the height of the seated person’s ears. I advise them not to hold their hands above the person’s head, or crown chakra, as this can sometimes feel quite disturbing. Then tune in to the seated person by mentally asking to detect the layers of that person’s aura. Slowly and steadily bring the hands in towards the seated person’s ears whilst being as aware as possible of any subtle sensations in their hands—warmth, tingling, a buzzing sensation, a sense of a cool breeze on their palms, a gentle pressure, or even the sense that they cannot move their hands any further because of an invisible barrier. The seated person is also asked to be aware of any sensations around their head—this is often easiest with their eyes closed—and also reassure that if it becomes uncomfortable in any way they can ask their partner to stop at once.Why might it become uncomfortable? Because this is a much more intrusive exercise than detecting the aura with rods— although occasionally some people do feel some odd sensations when someone is deliberately walking into layers of their aura with rods, too. However, when someone is trying to detect the aura around your head it can feel quite strange, and may even cause mild—or very occasionally severe—feelings of nausea, so this exercise should never be carried out without the person’s permission. So please, no sneaking up on people from behind for a quick feel of their auras!Obviously you should stop when your hands are very close to the person’s ears, or whenever the seated person asks you to take your hands away. Sometimes the seated person will feel a pressure around their head or considerable warmth building up; or it may make their ears feel tingly or hot. When you have completed this exercise, do share with each other what you felt, and then swap positions so you can experience it from the other perspective. I wouldn’t advise doing this more than a couple of times with the same person during a single session. The sensitivity of the aura becomes greater the more you do this, and subconsciously the seated person will try to put up greater barriers to push away the person infringing their space—sometimes enough to almost knock them off their feet! Whilst this might be seen as a fun thing to achieve, it can leave the seated person with a bit of a headache, or feeling slightly sick for a while, if it goes on too long.Seeing Auras The third stage of detecting auras is to learn to see them, and the easiest way is to start by seeing your own. This is accomplished most easily by holding one or both of your hands out in front of you with your fingers spread as wide apart as possible, and then gazing softly at the spaces between the fingers. The innermost layer of the aura is the densest, so this is the one most people spot first as a pale bluish, greyish, or yellowish mist around each finger, perhaps only one or two centimetres thick (about a quarter of an inch). With lots of practice you may start to see other soft colors, occasionally flashes of brighter color. Looking for other people’s auras is also fun, but please remember not to stare! Apart from being rather rude, an intensive gaze is not the best way to see auras anyway—a soft gaze, perhaps with the eyes slightly closed, is better.Some people find it very easy to see auras. For instance, one of my students, introduced for the first time to the concept of seeing auras, realised he’d always been able to see them, but had thought it was something wrong with his sight! Others find it more difficult, but if you persevere it can be quite illuminating. You might be able to guess your partner’s mood from the colors in their aura, for instance. Or, use your skill to ascertain the feelings of other people to a suggestion you make at a business meeting. I have one friend who is particularly successful at this, and even the most practised artificial calm will not fool him—so he’s definitely not a person to play poker with!The Chakras Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning wheel or vortex. There are seven major chakras in the human body located at (1) the base of the spine, (2) near the navel, (3) at the solar plexus, (4) in the middle of the chest, (5) in the throat, (6) the centre of the brow and (7) the crown of the head. In addition, there are more than twenty minor chakras, such as in the palms of the hands, on the knees, and on the soles of the feet. A healthy chakra vibrates evenly in a circular motion, resembling a funnel which is fairly narrow close to the body, but which becomes wider as it gets further out.The chakras can be located and measured with a pendulumDetecting Chakras Many people who do Reiki find it quite easy to detect and locate each of the chakras when they are scanning someone’s body before a Reiki treatment. You can also use a pendulum, which can be a crystal or a ring or some other suitable object at the end of a fine chain or length of embroidery silk or similar. In the same way as with the dowsing rods you need to tune in to the vibrations you are seeking, in this case chakras. So first, hold the pendulum still. This is easiest if your arm is supported. Silently or aloud ask “What is positive?” And then, “What is negative?” For me, the pendulum rotates in a circle in a clockwise direction for positive, and anti-clockwise for negative, but you may find that it circles the opposite way, or swings from left to right for one, and backward and forward for another.For this exercise it is probably best to ask a friend or partner to lie down, and then hold the pendulum about five to ten cms (two to four inches) above the body. Start either above the head or above the feet, and slowly move it along an imaginary line running down the centre of the body (i.e., as if the line runs through the nose and navel). When you reach the location of a chakra the pendulum should begin to rotate or swing, although rotation is more common because the energy of the chakra is swirling like a vortex, and the pendulum tends to follow the energy. Some chakras may rotate in a clockwise direction, and some in an anti-clockwise direction, or they may all appear to be the same. However you will probably find that if you raise the pendulum to about thirty cms (twelve inches) above the body, it will rotate in a wider arc, echoing the funnel shape of the chakra’s energy which is narrower near the body and wider further away from the body.Sometimes the chakra’s outer edge is only a few inches from the body, but it can extend up to a metre (three feet) away, depending upon the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual state of the person. A really healthy, balanced, and open chakra will make a pendulum swing vigorously. Whereas, one which is unhealthy, unbalanced, or blocked will hardly move the pendulum at all. But don’t panic if when you first start dowsing for chakras the pendulum doesn’t move much! This may simply be that you are too tense for your body’s electromagnetic energy to flow easily, which can interfere with the accuracy of the result. Again, if you try this exercise before and after a Reiki attunement or treatment, you will usually find a greater reaction from the pendulum afterwards, as the flow of energy in the chakras becomes more balanced after Reiki.I hope this article will inspire you to have a go at detecting auras and chakras. Apart from being a really interesting thing to do, it can help to build up your sensitivity to subtle energies so that when you are using Reiki you will find it easier to be guided to those areas most in need. So have fun and enjoy!This article first appeared in the Winter 2002 issue of the Reiki News Magazine.

Cross Posted from The Physical Therapy BlogObviously, a multitude of yoga books with plenty of valuable things to say exist beyond this list. But the following 50 have stood out based on their reviews and popularity, providing readers of all interests and experience levels with all the information they need on the different methods and how they can shape a person’s mental, physical and spiritual facets for the better.1. The Yoga Sutras of PatanjaliAuthor: Sri Swami SatchidanandaAnyone curious about the discipline of Raja Yoga would do well to pick up Sri Swami Satchidananda’s meditations and perceptions on its teachings.2. Yoga AnatomyAuthor: Leslie KaminoffThis insightful tome looks at yoga from a biological perspective, illustrating the hows and whys behind some of the most popular and effective poses.3. Light on YogaAuthor: B.K.S. IyengarConsidered one of the best possible resources on yogic practices, Light on Yoga covers everything that everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals needs to know.4. Ashtanga Yoga: The Illustrated ManuelAuthor: David SwensonNewcomers to Ashtanga Yoga should pick up this book in order to soak up all the information they need to progress to the next level.5. Anatomy of Hatha Yoga: A Manual for Students, Teachers, and PractitionersAuthor: David H. CoulterA Benjamin Franklin Award winner, David Coulter’s guide to all things Hatha outlines how the discipline interacts with anatomy and physiology in a way that most readers can understand.6. The Yoga Tradition: Its History, Literature, Philosophy and PracticeAuthor: Georg FeuersteinFor a comprehensive overview of the various ideologies and disciplines that comprise the different yogic practices, pick up this incredibly informative book to use as a guide!7. Autobiography of a YogiAuthor: Paramahansa YoganadaYoga aficionados with a yearning to learn more about the discipline from the perspective of a true expert will enjoy the prolific Paramahansa Yoganada’s reflections on his life.8. The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal PracticeAuthor: T.K.V. DesikacharMany individuals from around the world love yoga’s introspective nature, and even a quick glance at this guide holds the potential to teach a few lessons on getting the most out of it.9. Yoga Mind, Body and Spirit: A Return to WholenessAuthor: Donna FarhiDonna Farhi seeks to bring the spiritual element back into yoga, which started fizzling out once it became a trend amongst “Western” yuppies.10. The Woman’s Book of Yoga and HealthAuthor: Linda SparroweDiscover what yoga practices particularly benefit the overall health and wellness of women everywhere.11. Yoga as MedicineAuthor: Yoga JournalMuch of yoga’s popularity comes from its therapeutic properties, and this volume compiles them together into one very handy resource.12. The Yoga BibleAuthor: Christina BrownAs one can probably assume from the title, The Yoga Bible catalogues over 150 of the most popular poses for a quick reference on what to do in what situation.13. Yoga: The Spirit and Practice of Moving into StillnessAuthor: Erich SchiffmannErich Schiffmann’s guide to yoga places equal emphasis on its physical elements as well as its potential as a meditative tool.14. Yoga for Wellness: Healing with the Timeless Teachings of ViniyogaAuthor: Gary KraftsowExplore yoga through the lens of its holistic properties, peering into its depths as a practice beyond merely stretching.15. Living Your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday LifeAuthor: Judith Hanson LasaterYoga practitioners wanting to get the most out of their exercises would do well to pick up this fun and funny book on the role it can play in reducing the stresses of daily living.16. Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of YogaAuthors: Rolf Gates & Katrina KenisonLearn about how yoga improves the mind as well as the body by reading Rolf Gates and Katrina Kenison’s daily meditations and applying them to routines.17. Journey into Power: How to Sculpt Your Ideal Body, Free Your True Self, and Transform Your Life with YogaAuthor: Baron BaptistePick up Journey into Power for detailed information on all the wonderful ways that yoga can improve the mind, body and spirit.18. Power Yoga: The Total Strength and Flexibility WorkoutAuthor: Beryl Bender BirchAthletes and anyone else hoping to increase their physical prowess may enjoy this book’s focus on how yoga can help them improve their flexibility and strength.19. Back Care Basics: A Doctor’s Gentle Yoga Program for Back and Neck Pain ReliefAuthor: Mary Pullig SchatzPeople suffering from chronic spinal pain along the neck and back frequently take up yoga as a means of alleviating the symptoms and comfortably getting back into their daily routines.20. Structural Yoga Therapy: Adapting to the IndividualAuthor: Mukunda StilesThis book predominantly targets the most ardent of yoga aficionados, illustrating how they can tailor their knowledge and experience to create a more personalized regimen.21. Yoga for Depression: A Compassionate Guide to Relieve Suffering Through YogaAuthor: Amy WeintraubHarsh antidepressants can wreak havoc on one’s brain, so anyone looking for a conduit towards calming the strains of anxiety and stress may want to look into yoga as an option.22. Yoga and the Quest for the True SelfAuthor: Stephen CopeStephen Cope’s autobiography chronicles how yoga allowed him to come to terms with his own life and discover the man that always lay beneath.23. Kripalu Yoga: A Guide to Practice On and Off the MatAuthors: Richard Faulds & The Senior Teaching Staff of Kripalu CenterSuitable for beginners and intermediates, this reference guides readers through all the basics of yoga poses and breathing exercises that benefit a body and mind beyond the boundaries of the sessions themselves.24. Yoga Posture Adjustments and Assisting: An Insightful Guide for Yoga Teachers and StudentsAuthor: Stephanie PappasGet the most out of a yoga routine by studying how to best adjust the poses and breathing exercises to meet specific needs.25. The Language of Yoga: Complete A to Y Guide to Asana Names, Sanskrit Terms, and ChantsAuthor: Nicolai BachmanFor moments when yogic terminology becomes overwhelming and confusing, pick up Nicolai Bachman’s handy reference to the practice’s specialized language.26. Asanas: 608 Yoga PosesAuthor: Dharma MittraAt 672 pages, the very highly regarded Dharma Mittra certainly has plenty of expertise to share with fellow yoga practitioners of all levels and preferences.27. Mudras: Yoga in Your HandsAuthor: Gertrud HirschiContrary to popular assumption, yoga poses are not only restricted to the entire body, and these hand exercises make for a healthy way to pass the time in cramped or inconvenient spaces.28. Anatomy and Asana: Preventing Yoga InjuriesAuthor: Susi Hately AldousEven the gentlest of yoga poses can result in a minor injury if executed improperly, so be sure to read over this book on how to prevent any problems from occurring during a yoga session.29. The Sivananda Companion to YogaAuthor: The Sivananda Yoga CenterAnyone looking for a comprehensive resource on anything and everything regarding yogic poses, breathing techniques, meditations and more needs to pick up The Sivanda Yoga Center’s painstakingly detailed book.30. Hatha Yoga IllustratedAuthors: Brooke Boone, Daniel DiTuro & Martin KirkHatha is one of the more prevalent yogic forms practiced in the “Western” world, and this guide introduces newcomers to the basics and helps them learn as much as they can to move up to the next level.31. The American Yoga Association Beginners’ Manual Author: Alice ChristensenGet started with yoga by settling down with this accessible resource that comes straight from The American Yoga Association.32. The New Yoga for People Over 50Author: Suza FrancinaShow those darn kids on the lawn that old fogies have the strength and flexibility to do more than just shake a cane at their disruptive antics.33. Richard Hittleman’s Yoga: 28 Day Exercise PlanAuthor: Richard HittlemanThe aspirant yoga aficionado looking for suggestions regarding a viable regimen would do well to check out Richard Hittleman’s recommended routine.34. Yoga: The Iyengar WayAuthors: Mira Mehta, Shyam Mehta & Silva MehtaResearch the fundamentals of the Iyengar method to see if it perhaps holds the key to solving a particular physical, emotional or mental issue.35. Moving Toward Balance: 8 Weeks of Yoga with Rodney YeeAuthor: Rodney YeeThe prolific Rodney Yee outlines a yoga routine he developed to hopefully maximize an adherent’s strengthening of mind, body and spirit.36. How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of PatanjaliAuthor: PatanjaliTranslators:Christopher Isherwood & Swami PrabhavanandaFor those desiring to learn more about the religious and spiritual elements of yoga, Patanjali’s ancient tales serve as an amazing resource.37. Science Of BreathAuthor: Yogi RamacharakaYoga involves disciplined breathing intending to induce meditation and relax the muscular system, and Yogi Ramacharaka explores their physical and spiritual components.38. Yoga for Arthritis: The Complete GuideAuthors: Loren Fishman & Ellen SaltonstallSome individuals suffering from chronic arthritis may like the idea of attempting yoga in order to alleviate the pain.39. Yin YogaAuthor: Paul GrilleyPaul Grilley hopes that his book serves as a gentler alternative to some of the more high-impact poses preferred by “Western” yoga teachers and students.40. Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body and SoulAuthors: Sharon Gannon & David LifeAny yoga fans looking for a more active, strenuous workout may like the Jivamukti technique, which creators Sharon Gannon and David Life outline here in great detail.41. Hip Tranquil Chick: A Guide to Life On and Off the Yoga MatAuthor: Kimberly WilsonSquarely targeting yuppie women who enjoy whitewashing other cultures in order to seem sophisticated and edgy, this fluffy pink guide teaches the fundamentals of, like, meditation and exercise and stuff.42. Yoga and the Path of the Urban MysticAuthor: Darren MainDarren Main’s book finds ways to apply ancient practices to distinctly contemporary problems without ever losing their core values.43. How Yoga WorksAuthors: Christie McNally & Geshe Michael RoachDelve deeply into the fundamentals of yogic practice, dissecting the whats and whys behind the different poses, meditations, breathing exercises and more.44. Beth Shaw’s YogaFitAuthor: Beth ShawFitness expert Beth Shaw shares her expertise with audiences looking to use yoga as a way of keeping their body healthy and functioning properly.45. Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful TimesAuthor: Judith LasaterIn times of great stress and anxiety, yoga can inspire rest and relaxation necessary for continuous health and wellness.46. Itsy-Bitsy Yoga: Poses to Help Your Baby Sleep Longer, Digest Better, and Grow StrongerAuthor: Helen GarabedianUse the principles of yoga to encourage an infant’s overall health and wellness – just be extremely careful when doing so!47. Baby Om: Yoga for Mothers and BabiesAuthors: Sarah Parron & Laura StatonWhen parents practice yoga alongside their babies, it reinforces not only their personal health, but strengthens their filial bond as well.48. YogaKids: Educating the Whole Child Through YogaAuthor: Marsha WenigParents who desire to get their children started early when it comes to yoga for the mind, body and spirit would do well to get them started with this easy-to-follow book.49. Happy Yoga: 7 Reasons Why There’s Nothing to Worry AboutAuthor: Steve RossSteve Ross’s cheerful little book covers every major facet of yoga and explores how they can help individuals find peace and happiness within themselves.50. A Life Worth Breathing: A Yoga Master’s Handbook of Strength, Grace, and HealingAuthor: Max StromProlific yoga educator Max Strom shares his perspectives on what yoga means to him and what it can do for his readership.